Wanted to say thank you, share my story, and ask for your advice

[parkaveadman]

Hi all,

 

I've been using this site and forum for many years now and wanted to start by saying thank you to all of you who contributed your stories, opinions, and recommendations. Here is my story:

 

I'm 32 years old. I've had two FUT surgeries already. The first was in Massachusetts in 2009 with Dr. Distefano where I got 1400 grafts and I saw great results but was left with a very bad thick scar. My second surgery was also FUT with Dr. Pong in Chiang Mai, Thailand where I think it was around 1,500. He cut out the thick scar and did a better job with sewing it up, unfortunately a lot of scar tissue was left after it healed and now I have a 1.5mm thick scar that goes all the way to my ears and I have to keep my hair pretty long to cover it up.

 

I've been on Propecia since I was 19 years old. I'd really like to get off of it at some point as I think it definitely affects my libido and I've had a lot of trouble keeping a relationship. I've also been using Rogaine off and on for a few years.

 

I've been looking into my third surgery. After talking to many doctors and getting consults it seems that my options are either to do FUE and put hairs into my scar to help hide it (using my donor hair which is limited) or doing another FUT and hoping that it turns out better. I'd like to also fill in my crown area but most of the doctors have said I will not be happy with the results because I don't have enough bald area and I would likely lose real hair from the trauma, same goes for the front.

 

I'm very nervous because it seems this is my last chance to fix this scar if I went with FUT. There is a doctor in the middle east named Alex Ginzburg that has a method where he cuts a zigzag across the donor scar and then cuts the strip. The zig zag helps the hair fall over and conceal the scar and then he takes the hair from the small triangles and uses that for the crown, he thinks he can maybe get 500 grafts into the crown. Total price is $3,300 for the repair surgery. He showed me one before and after and I was very impressed with the results of the scar, his before/after scalp photos on his site though are not so impressive. I've also received quotes from clinics in Cyprus and Turkey who think FUE and transplanting into the donor scar is the best option.

 

What do you guys think I should do? Also, is there a doctor that is known for being the best at fixing the scar? I don't mind traveling.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Attached are photos in 2009 before first surgery, 2013 before second surgery, and 2016.

Edited January 30, 2017 by parkaveadman

[parkaveadman]

wow guys, thanks for all the support on this one

[hsrp10]

Never heard of Alex Ginzburg, and also you might be in a difficult situation with dropping Fin as the grafts to be placed into the FUT scar might be needed for future hair loss as you age.

 

Also you don't seem to wear your hair very short in the back, are you planning to cut it later after going with FUE?

I'd be more interested in your surgeon choice though including Cyprus (Dr. Maras?) and Turkey (Dr. Erdogan ?).

[TakingThePlunge]

I'm familiar with Dr. Ginzburg by name but I have not seen much of his work and I'm not familiar with the particular procedure you've mentioned.

 

Scar repair can be tricky because it its success has a lot to do with the individual patient's physiology. The best advice I can give you is to consult with a number of recommended physicians before moving forward with another surgery.

[JohnCasper]

You seem to be in a tough situation. Diligently search for the right surgeon. You mention one doctor moving about 500 grafts to the crown area while repairing your scar. 500 grafts in the crown area is not a lot of grafts and I'm not sure whether you would be happy with the results. Look for a way to repair/hide the scar and possibly harvest more grafts if possible if your budget permits. Just a thought......best of luck to you.

[voxman]

wow guys, thanks for all the support on this one

 

Sorry, this is not Twitter or Facebook where you get a 10 second response to every comment. Have some patience. Most posters here visit every couple of days and if you want a thoughtful and responsible reply, it takes time.